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probably owing <strong>to</strong> the long gestation period required for attitudinal change.<br />
Proportion <strong>of</strong> Seats Held by Women in National<br />
and State Parliaments<br />
Institutional support for women in active politics<br />
has been a challenge, hence their poor<br />
participation in governance. Examples <strong>of</strong> other<br />
issues that inhibit their participation include the<br />
nature <strong>of</strong> political party formation, which is<br />
usually in the form <strong>of</strong> club or informal meetings<br />
initiated by male friends and business partners; the<br />
high cost <strong>of</strong> financing political parties and<br />
campaigns which may run as high as N200 million<br />
for aspirants <strong>to</strong> local positions 16 ; lack <strong>of</strong> willing<br />
and educated women <strong>to</strong> participate in the political<br />
process; and the imposition <strong>of</strong> cultural practices<br />
which expect women <strong>to</strong> conform <strong>to</strong> and confine<br />
themselves <strong>to</strong> male dominance and female<br />
subservience.<br />
Although there has been an increase in the<br />
numbers <strong>of</strong> women in legislative bodies, generally<br />
women continue <strong>to</strong> be under-represented in all<br />
structures <strong>of</strong> power and decision-making. Even as<br />
gender equality and empowerment <strong>of</strong> women are<br />
at the heart <strong>of</strong> many national and international<br />
commitments, including the UN Millennium<br />
Development Goals, not much progress has been<br />
made.<br />
In the 2009 DRGs budget, there were no projects<br />
implemented directly or indirectly by any <strong>of</strong> the<br />
line ministries <strong>to</strong>wards the achievement <strong>of</strong> this<br />
indica<strong>to</strong>r, making it glaring that it is far from<br />
being addressed, thus slowing down the<br />
achievement <strong>of</strong> the overall MDG 3<br />
16 http://www.boellnigeria.org/web/112-223.html<br />
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